About a week ago I posted an article showing the rocks I collected at a landscape supply store. I'm using those rocks to make an artistic #saikei, which is a type of bonsai that made with #trees and #rocks to form a landscape. No bonsai pot is used.

Conceiving a Plan

The type of saikei I build will need to have lots of crevices with mud, because I plan to grow seedlings in those spaces. Since I have #Ash trees on my property, I thought it made sense to let the trees sow the seeds for me, because it self-seeds about as easy as a weed. As the seeds scatter into the grounds, they will develop into a natural form on their own. Most of the seeds will probably have a hard time surviving on the rocks of my saikei, but I think the strong ones that form strong roots will eventually become healthy trees with irregular trunk shapes as they grow through rock layers. With all the hundreds of seeds that will likely grow within the saikei, I only need a few to survive.

Found on Pinterest Example of Ash tree seedlings.

Below I am sharing my photos of four different concept ideas I created. Each has a different look and feel.

I'm working with only dry materials today. Next week is the final build day, and I'll be adding clay and mud to set the designs into a more solid permanent form.

Have fun with me!
Let's play with some rocks.

Idea 1: Boulder Hill

Front View

Back Corner View

Idea 2: Mountain Cave with River

Front View

Back Corner View

Idea 3: Rock Slide

Front View

Back Corner View

Idea 4: Mountain Top with Lake

Front View

Back View

Revised (cleared top surface)

What do you think? Do you get a better idea of the sorts of landscape designs that can be made using rock?